scholarly journals Pilots for Healthy and Active Ageing (PHArA-ON) Project: Definition of New Technological Solutions for Older People in Italian Pilot Sites Based on Elicited User Needs

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 163
Author(s):  
Grazia D’Onofrio ◽  
Laura Fiorini ◽  
Lara Toccafondi ◽  
Erika Rovini ◽  
Sergio Russo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Informal Caregivers ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
User Needs ◽  
Active Ageing ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
The Impact

Background: The Pilots for Healthy and Active Ageing (PHArA-ON) project aimsto ensure reality smart and active living for Europe’s ageing population by creating a set of integrated and highly customizable interoperable open platforms with advanced services, devices, and technologies and tools. The aim of the present study was to determine the needs and preferences of older people and their caregivers for improving healthy and active aging and guiding the technological development of thePHArA-ON system. Methods: A pre-structured interview was administered to older adults, informal caregivers and professional caregivers (including social operators) taking part in the piloting sessions. Results: Interviews were carried out in Umana Persone Social Enterprise R&D Network (UP) in Tuscany, and Ospedale Casa SollievodellaSofferenza (CSS) in Apulia. A total of 22 older adults, 22 informal caregivers, 13 professional caregivers and 4 social operators were recruited. A prioritization analysis of services, according to the stakeholder’s needs, has determined two fundamental need categories: Heath Management (i.e., stimulation and monitoring), and Socialisation (i.e., promoting social inclusion). Conclusions: The main scientific contributions to this study are the following: to design and evaluate technology in the context of healthy and active ageing, to acquire relevant knowledge on user needs to develop technologies that can handle the real life situations of older people, obtain useful insights about the attitude and availability of end-users in using technologies in clinical practice, and to provide important guidelines to improve the PHArA-ON system. Specific experimentation stages were also carried out to understand which kind of technology is more acceptable, and to obtain feedback regarding the development priority related to the impact of the proposed services. Research through fruitful and continuous interaction with the different subjects involved in the development process of the system, as well as with stakeholders, enabled the implementation of a platform which could be further and easily integrated and improved.

Are social media users more satisfied with their life than non-users? A study on older Italians

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Emanuela Sala ◽  
Gabriele Cerati ◽  
Alessandra Gaia
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Older People ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Active Ageing ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Italian Case ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Despite older people's increasing use of social media (SM), there is relatively little research investigating the impact of SM use on wellbeing in the ageing population. This study investigates the relationship between SM use and life satisfaction, a key dimension of wellbeing, in three age groups. We focus on the Italian case, which is particularly relevant because Italy is one of the countries both with the highest incidence of older people and the lowest uptake of SM in Europe. Applying linear regression modelling techniques, we analyse data from the 2018 Multipurpose Survey – Aspects of Everyday Living, a large probability-based household survey. For two age groups, we find a positive relationship between SM use and life satisfaction which weakens after controlling for older people's demographic and socio-economic characteristics, health conditions and social network characteristics. Given the grey digital divide that still exists in some European countries, we conclude with a call for urgent interventions to remove the hurdles that prevent frail older people from enjoying the benefits of an active ageing, fully exploiting the potential of SM use.

Over the rainbow: direct payments and social inclusion

2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jed Donoghue ◽  
Chris Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Direct Payments ◽  
The Impact

This paper examines the impact of direct payments on social isolation. We define what social isolation means, and then evaluate the role of direct payments in the provision of social services in the United Kingdom. Social isolation is a particular problem for older people. In Australia there are an increasing number of older residents who are isolated, but would benefit from having greater choice in terms of how they access and receive social services. Increased access to direct payments could help to reduce waiting lists for traditional social services and address gaps in service provision. What is known about the topic?International research indicates that in some cases direct payments or self-directed service provision helps to reduce social isolation. What does this paper add?The authors argue that based on the available evidence, a system incorporating direct payments would have health benefits for older adults living in the community. What are the implications for practitioners?The paper concludes by suggesting that directs payments have the capacity to reduce social isolation in Australia.

Alignment or struggle? Exploring socio-demographic correlates of individual modernity in Chinese older people

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
XUE BAI
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Living Arrangement ◽  
Industrial Society ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Demographic Correlates ◽  
Individual Modernity ◽  
Chinese Older People ◽  
Socio Demographic Factors

ABSTRACTIt is noteworthy that while modernisation, together with population ageing, has happened in Western countries for a rather long period of time, China must confront the challenges of an ageing population before it really becomes an advanced industrial society. Facing rapid societal changes, citizens may react differently to this process. By conducting questionnaire surveys with 445 elders in Wuhan, China, this study examines Chinese older adults' individual modernity modes and reveals its socio-demographic correlates. The results show that facing rapid changes in societal modernisation, participants have reacted differently to this process, with 23.8 per cent of Chinese older participants using an accommodation mode, 27.0 per cent using a resistance mode, 13.3 per cent using a withdrawal mode and 36.2 per cent using a coping mode. In addition, socio-demographic factors such as urban–rural residence, age, gender, socio-economic status, living arrangement and daily activities have been identified as significant correlates of Chinese older participants' individual modernity modes. It is further suggested that governments at all levels should allow for options and opportunities for older people to align themselves in the modernisation process by removing the barriers that may hinder their integration and empowerment efforts. While it is important to respect older adults' different responses in the face of modernisation, their participation in societies should be encouraged and respected by the wider society in the context of modernisation.

scholarly journals Strategies Older New Zealanders Use to Participate in Day-To-Day Occupations

2011 ◽  
Vol 74 (11) ◽  
pp. 509-516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clare Hocking ◽  
Juanita Murphy ◽  
Kirk Reed
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Older People ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Falls Prevention ◽  
Public Health Messages ◽  
The Impact

Aim: This exploratory study aimed to uncover the strategies that older adults employ to ameliorate the impact of impairments and barriers to participation. Method: Eight participants were interviewed in their own homes, in a town or city in New Zealand. Findings: Inductive analysis of data revealed four main categories of strategies: strategies to keep safe, to recruit and accept help, to meet social and biological needs (nutritional and medical), and to conserve financial, material and bodily resources. Discussion: The study supports some previous findings of strategies used by older people, and demonstrates that enquiring into the strategies that older people devise and adopt into their own lives is a productive line of inquiry. The strategies described differ from those that occupational therapists recommend, and do not incorporate public health messages about the benefits of physical activity or recommendations about falls prevention. Conclusion: The findings suggest that asking older clients about the strategies that they use will uncover valuable information for therapists giving advice or issuing equipment to help older adults to manage in the community.

scholarly journals The Silver Economy in the context of Corporate Social Responsibility

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 33-32
Author(s):  
Monika Szewczyk
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Older People ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Pension System ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Employment Conditions ◽  
Production And Distribution ◽  
Corporate Social

Corporate social responsibility is a concept responding to climate change, environmental problems and the needs of stakeholders. Business makes an effort to act in the changing conditions, thus adapting to the expectations of the stakeholders and following the principles of sustainable economic development and social responsibility. One of the changes taking place in the current economic and social world is the change in the demographic structure of the population. The subject of the ageing population is often discussed, usually as a negative aspect in the context of changes in the pension system, health care costs or the employment conditions of older people. The principles of corporate social responsibility, such as social inclusion, anti-discrimination, and facilitating access to products and services create the basis for the development of the economy, focused on the use of the purchasing potential of older people. Thus, the perception of the demographic changes in this context becomes the ground for the formation of perspective solutions and the development of the silver economy. This model of the economy can be understood as a system which is based on adapting the production and distribution of products and services to older people. The main aim of this article is to present the challenges for companies in terms of the problems connected with an ageing population, as well as to present the main features of the concept of the silver economy in the context of corporate social responsibility. Moreover, considering the development of the silver economy, characteristics of older people as consumers should be taken into account. In this context, there are many stereotypes associated with the activities of the elderly. The article also notes the profile of potential customers of the silver economy, with a particular emphasis on the approach of the elderly to innovation, tradition and a broadly understood sense of security.

scholarly journals ThessAHALL—A Life-Long Learning Programme for the Social Inclusion of “Early-Stage” Older Adult Researchers

2021 ◽  
pp. 89-97
Author(s):  
Despoina Mantziari ◽  
Evdokimos Konstantinidis ◽  
Despoina Petsani ◽  
Nikolaos Kyriakidis ◽  
Vassiliki Zilidou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Open Science ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Life Long Learning ◽  
The Social

AbstractAiming at limiting the risk of ageism & social exclusion of older adults in society, the Thess-AHALL looks at co-design and open science solutions for social inclusion for the ageing population.

scholarly journals In-home monitoring evaluation by home-dwelling older adults, caregivers and healthcare providers

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
B Pais ◽  
P Buluschek ◽  
T Nef ◽  
N Schütz ◽  
H Saner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Older People ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Home Monitoring ◽  
Daily Activities ◽  
Healthcare Needs ◽  
Monitoring Technologies ◽  
The Impact ◽  
At Home

Abstract Background In Europe, population ageing is increasing the healthcare needs and costs. Both frailty and chronic diseases affecting older people reduce their ability to live independently. However, most older people prefer to age in their own homes. New development of in-home monitoring can play a role in staying independent, active and healthy. Our objective was to evaluate a new in-home monitoring system among home-dwelling older adults (OA), their family caregivers (FC), and their healthcare providers (HCP) for the support of home care. Methods The system continuously monitored OA’s daily activities (e.g., mobility, sleep habits, fridge visits, door events) at home by ambient sensor system (DomoCare®) and health-related events by wearable sensors (Fitbit®, ECG). In case of deviations in daily activities (e.g., changes in mobility), alerts were transmitted to HCP via email. Using specific questionnaires, the opinion of 13 OA, 13 FC, and 20 HCP were collected at the end of 12-month of follow-up focusing on their user experience and the impact of in-home monitoring on home care services. Results These preliminary results underlined that the majority of OA, FC, and HCP consider that in-home sensors can help staying at home, improving home care, reducing family stress, and preventing domestic accidents. The opinion tended to be more favourable toward ambient sensors (80%) than toward Fitbit® (67%) and ECG (64%). On average, OA (80%) and FC (73%) tended to be more enthusiast than HCP (63%). Some barriers reported by HCP were a fear of weakening of the relationship with OA and an excessive surveillance. Conclusions Overall, the opinion of OA, FC and HCP were positive related to in-home sensors, with HCP being more mixed about their use in clinical practice. Key messages In-home monitoring technologies seem to be generally well accepted. In-home monitoring technologies could be help facilitating home care of older people.

scholarly journals Social and Behavioural Determinants of the Difference in Survival among Older Adults in Japan and England

Gerontology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 266-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Aida ◽  
Noriko Cable ◽  
Paola Zaninotto ◽  
Toru Tsuboya ◽  
Georgios Tsakos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Evaluation Study ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Cross Country ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Family Based

Background: A rapidly ageing population presents major challenges to health and social care services. Cross-country comparative studies on survival among older adults are limited. In addition, Japan, the country with the longest life expectancy, is rarely included in these cross-country comparisons. Objective: We examined the relative contributions of social and behavioural factors on the differences in survival among older people in Japan and England. Methods: We used data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES; n = 13,176) and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA; n = 5,551) to analyse all-cause mortality up to 9.4 years from the baseline. Applying Laplace regression models, the 15th survival percentile difference was estimated. Results: During the follow-up, 31.3% of women and 38.6% of men in the ELSA died, whereas 19.3% of women and 31.3% of men in the JAGES died. After adjusting for age and baseline health status, JAGES participants had longer survival than ELSA participants by 318.8 days for women and by 131.6 days for men. Family-based social relationships contributed to 105.4 days longer survival in JAGES than ELSA men. Fewer friendship-based social relationships shortened the JAGES men’s survival by 45.4 days compared to ELSA men. Currently not being a smoker contributed to longer survival for JAGES women (197.7 days) and ELSA men (46.6 days), and having lower BMI reduced the survival of JAGES participants by 129.0 days for women and by 212.2 days for men. Conclusion: Compared to participants in England, Japanese older people lived longer mainly because of non-smoking for women and family-based social relationships for men. In contrast, a lower rate of underweight, men’s better friendship-based social relationships, and a lower smoking rate contributed to survival among participants in England.

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